HIGHWAY FATALITIES 20 killed on Georgia roads over holiday

Crashes killed 20 people on Georgia roads during the long Thanksgiving holiday week- end, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety. And that number could climb as the agency gathers more information from law enforce- ment around the state.

Last year, 24 people died and 370 were injured during the same period, from Wednesday evening through Sunday night. This year, even more people planned to travel, in part due to coronavirus vaccinations, according to the AAA motor group.

Six of the deadly crashes were in metro Atlanta, including separate wrecks in Dekalb County, the DPS said.

Around 3 a.m. Thursday, a 22-year-old driver was killed in a single-car crash on I-285 East at Bouldercrest Road, according to Dekalb police. Investigators believe Jahmari Kelly lost control of his vehicle while attempting to change lanes, causing it to roll. Kelly died at the scene.

About six hours later, Dekalb police investigated another deadly crash, on I-20 West near Panola Road. Investigators believe Desi C. John- son Sr., 57, clipped the back of another vehicle while he tried to change lanes. John- son’s vehicle then flipped and landed on top of the other car, police said. The driver of the second car was not injured, but Johnson died at the scene, according to police.

In Atlanta, a motorcyclist was killed early Saturday on I-85, police said. Officers responded to the wreck at 1:08 a.m. and found an unrespon- sive man lying in the northbound lanes at Cheshire Bridge Road, according to police. Jerrail Mickens died at the scene and his motorcycle was found several feet away, investigators said.

A second motorcyclist was killed Saturday afternoon in northeast Georgia, the online news site Habersham Now reported. Investigators believe 49-year-old William Pate of Seneca, South Carolina, ran his Harley-davidson into a curb and overturned in Stephens County, according to the report.

In Middle Georgia, two people including a pedestrian were killed in separate incidents, according to the Bibb County Sheriff ’s Office.

Shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, a woman was killed when she lost control of her vehicle in the 4000 block of Pio Nono Avenue in Macon, according to investigators. Gloria Thomas, 65, of Macon, was traveling south when she drove off the road, hit a guard rail and went down an embankment, the sheriff ’s office said. Thomas died at the scene. Her husband had minor injuries.

Saturday night, a 26-year-old man was struck by a vehicle in the 6000 block of Thomaston Road in Macon, according to investigators. That crash remains under investigation.

Deadly wrecks were also reported by police agencies in Henry and Floyd counties. State troopers from posts in Dalton, Manchester, Rincon, Griffin, Blue Ridge, Washington, Thomasville, Dublin and

Statesboro also investigated fatal crashes, according to the DPS.

Since 2014, 136 people have died in crashes on Georgia roads during the Thanksgiving holidays.